The boom in Chinese tourism generated more than one-quarter of the jobs in the global tourism industry last year, Xinhua reports.

The report by the government-run news agency cites information released by the Wuhan branch office of the China Tourism Academy.

“The tourism boom is a result of a good environment for the industry in China, including favourable policies,” the report quotes Wuhan branch office director Hu Jing as saying.

The number of outbound tourists from the mainland reached 128 million people last year, a tenfold increase from 2001, Xinhua reported.

Mr Hu said the mainland had more outbound and domestic tourists than any other country, and those travellers spent more – generating more jobs – than travellers from other nations.